


The Cold Mountains

by Jigoku_no_hono



Series: Either here or at UA? (crossover in the second story, if you no like go to the third and it continues from there!) [3]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Beating, Being Hunted, Being Lost, Blood, Blood Loss, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Blood and Torture, Blood and Violence, Child Abuse, Cold, Cold Weather, Cutting, Cuz he was in a coma instead ok! Deal with it!, Damaged Edward Elric, Dark Edward Elric, Edward Elric Has Issues, Edward Elric Swears, Edward Elric needs Help, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Evil Edward Elric, Experimentation, F/M, Fear, Fear of Discovery, Hallucinations, Hiding Medical Issues, Human Experimentation, Hurt, Hurt Edward Elric, Hurt Roy Mustang, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Torture, Insanity, Insecurity, Left Behind Edward Elric, Loss of Limbs, Maes Hughes Lives, Medical Experimentation, Medical Torture, Memory Loss, Mental Health Issues, Mind Control, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Mind Controlled Edward Elric, Mind Manipulation, Mind Meld, Mind/Mood Altering Substances, Mindfuck, Mountains, Name Changes, Near Death Experiences, Original Character(s), Overdosing, Parental Maes Hughes, Parental Riza Hawkeye, Parental Roy Mustang, Past Rape/Non-con, Permanent Injury, Psychological Torture, Rape Aftermath, Roy has memory loss, Scars, Science Experiments, Self-Blaming Edward Elric, Self-Blaming Roy Mustang, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Self-Worth Issues, Sick Edward Elric, Starvation, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Torture, Trust Issues, Unconsciousness, Unethical Experimentation, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:47:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24129955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jigoku_no_hono/pseuds/Jigoku_no_hono
Summary: Edward Elric manages to save Mustang's life, bringing him to the home of two men and their daughters, but it doesn't end as expected. Ed thought he was free, that he had managed to make it out that he would finally get to go home just as the many other times he had found himself in such a situation but that wouldn't be the case. So much more pain stems from the single attempt to run, to get out, to save Mustang.But the other man and his friends won't let it end so simply, they won't give up and they'll let go of many things along the way to save the boy they thought of as a genius, a boy they thought could never be damaged as much as he had.
Relationships: Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang
Series: Either here or at UA? (crossover in the second story, if you no like go to the third and it continues from there!) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1731397
Comments: 16
Kudos: 62





	1. Savor the time and the trouble

Roy's arm was slung over Ed's shoulder as he dragged both of their tired heavy bodies through the snow. The Colonel was unconscious again this time from the blood loss. He kept slipping off Edwards shoulder causing the teen to have to jostle him back onto it, but not with pain running up his back. Without his arm Ed was weighed down less but also completely useless in combat and now with Mustang out of commission the teen could do nothing but swear constantly under his breath. Their trudge marks were clear in the snow and if the trackers were to go after them again nether would be able to fight them off in their state.

It was slowly getting dark and Ed's eyes were closing at a steady rate. He hadn't had a proper nights rest for probably a week or more but the feeling of blood that pooled around his abdomen told him how his lack of sleep had nothing to do with it. As Ed took another step into the thick snow his port ached and his right leg gave out. Mustangs body was quickly slumped completely against the smaller alchemist making it difficult for him to stand again. 

"Fuck this!" Edward muttered and hoisted the man up again roughly before using most of his strength only to stand. His vision was staring to get blotchy and darken around the rims but he wouldn't let Mustang die. Not like this. The blood that seeped out of Roy's clothes stuck to Ed's arm as it was wrapped around his superior. Their overall process slow, too slow for Edward's comfort and without any snow falling they were easy prey.

As he tried to quicken the pace at which they were going a bloody cough shook his body causing him to have to drop mustang momentarily. He slouched to the ground holding his bleeding abdomen and coughing into the snow turning the pure white substance an eerie crimson. Then he quickly looked over to Mustang cursing himself for dropping the man. The colonel was out cold, his body loosing too much blood to keep himself heated and Edward had just let him drop into the snow probably freezing his already cold body even more.

He quickly moved his arm and leg in a way that he could prop the man up and hoist him over his shoulder again but as he did the blood around his stomach pooled out more. Quick pants left his frozen blue lips as the air he exerted almost didn't show in the cold temperature. He bit clenched his jaw and bit down the pain before standing up again and continuing his trek to no particular destination. Only a few minutes passed before more coughs followed but this time he simply stopped and coughed the blood onto the snow but didn't falter. With every step his body screamed at him to stop to let it rest but he couldn't. It ached and burned it stung and pain wracked his body but he couldn't let the Colonel die due to his inability. Nobody could die on his watch, not again.

His drenched clothes caused his already frigid body to feel worse. His right leg had gone completely numb from the cold which didn't help as he tried to move through the snow. As his vision dwindled and the world started to blur and blend together Ed thought he saw footprints not too far away from them. He stopped in his tracks as he steeled his gaze to try and make out the tracks unsure of what they were. He wanted to set Mustang down to take a look but he knew if he did the man wouldn't last for long. Ed word grasped the man tightly to himself hand gripping Mustangs clothes as his hands trembled before he moved towards the tracks.

He was right in front of them and could tell there was a pair of them but not Chimera tracks instead they seemed human.

"Fuck" Ed whispered as he felt bloody bile rise to his throat swallowing it down harshly, "Got no choice I guess" The stark glare on his face showed how he disliked the idea of following random tracks but with Roy's body temperature dropping rapidly he had no choice.

He started dredging in the path of the footsteps which made it easier as he didn't need to stomp his way through the thick and heavy snow that had weighed him down. It didn't take long before a Cabin like home came into view and the auditable sigh of relief that left his lips made him seem almost too hopeful. The closer he came to the building the more he noticed about it, there was smoke coming from the chimney meaning there were people and he saw a few traps around the house.

"Who are you?" He heard the gun being cocked before the voice, since he understood the language he knew they were still in Amestris but the sound of the gun behind him made him flinch.

"We're state alchemists" Ed said his voice snarky as usual but weak,

"What are you doing all the way out here?" The man asked and Ed knew he hadn't lowered the gun yet

"We-" Ed was caught off guard by the coughing fit that assaulted his body but with his missing arm he couldn't cover his mouth as the blood spilled onto the snow. As body visibly shook and his legs threatened to give out on him he felt the weight of Mustang slipping out of his grip. Ed quickly turned ignoring the blood about to grab the Colonel when he saw a man holding him up.

"Let's talk once were inside" He said and ed simply nodded as the man started to drag Mustang towards the door. Ed felt his legs weaken as the weight was lifted as though they had no purpose anymore one gave out, his real leg. He grunted as he clasped his left leg and forced himself to follow behind the man far larger in build than the average man but nothing compared to major Armstrong. 

When Ed walked in the door he hadn't expected to see two children staring up at him as he entered and he made sure to cover his body more for their sakes.

"What happened to your arm, Kid?" The man had redirected his focus to Ed after he had placed the Colonel down on a couch near the fire place, Edward wanted to go at the Kid comment but didn't find the energy to and so he went for a simple answer,

"Lost it a few years back!" Ed answered after a long moment of contemplation his remaining arm clutching the hidden broken pieces of his automail.

"So who are you?" He asked again eyes narrowing slightly as the two young girls ran to their father and hid behind his legs.

"My name is Edward Elric, State Alchemist" He reached down to his jacket pocket and took out the watch that identified him

"And that?" The man pointed behind him at Mustang,

"Colonel Mustang" He said simply not willing to give the man too much information, as he didn't feel safe.

"What happened to you two ya seem pretty banged up!" He said as he motioned Ed to sit on the wooden chair nearest to him. Ed plopped down harshly letting out a sigh as the pressure was taken off his leg and his port could relax.

"Got attacked" He sighed as he rubbed the port subconsciously 

"By what? Never seen anything with those kind of fangs" The man said as he was now looking over Roy's unconscious form and told the girls something.

"I don't really know myself" He said quietly looking down at his shivering hand, he knew but he couldn't tell this innocent man.

"Well I'm not going to be much help to you but when my Husband comes back he'll be able to patch you up" He said as he started removing Mustangs wet clothes

"Let me do that" Ed interjected quickly not wanting the man to see Mustangs beaten body,

"In your state you won't be much help!" He said a wry smile on his otherwise hard features.

"Don't let your Kid's see him at least" Ed said looking at Roy guilt and pain etched on his face, "It's not a nice sight for Kids" He said a solemn look on his face,

"They're used to animal attack wounds" The man said his blue eyes narrowing with his slightly pained smile.

He removed the last button on the thick coat and started to remove it before he stopped dead in his tracks, eyes quickly zeroing in on the slash marks across the mans chest his eyes then quickly darted to Ed and saw him clench his jaw just as he looked away.

"You need to tell me more than you were attacked so that I can help you" He said when the two girls slowly walked into the room with a metal basin in toe,

"We made it boil and we were carful!" The two girls said in unison as their father covered Mustang quickly,

"Good job, now go to your room and play Dad needs to talk to the two misters!" He said a bright smile across his face and a tight grip around the colonels jacket. He received a yes in unison before the two girl ran off giggling. The moment they were out his eyes turned slightly colder.

"Tell me at least the gist?" He asked and Ed's eyes narrowed at him, 

"..." Ed stayed quiet thinking about it before he heard the door burst open which caused him to flinch before he saw an even taller far more muscular man run into the house,

"Are you hurt?" The concern in the mans voice was clear as day as he ran to his husband

"I'm fine but these two aren't" He said pointing at the two alchemists,

"What happened?" He asked looking at the two wearily.

"They say they were attacked.... and I don't believe them" The blonde said cooly at the darker haired man which resembled the twins far more,

"Well let's get them cleaned up, no one else around for a few hours so... Oh I'm Kain" The man said and when Ed got a better look at him he saw the smile that was forever engraved into his features.

"Take care of Mustang first" Ed said as he placed a hand over his churning stomach, "and I may need a bucket" smiled sheepishly at them as he felt the bile rise to his throat again

"I'll get it!" The blonde said as he moved towards the door the two girls had disappeared to the first time they left.

"He's Drake, probably didn't tell you!" Kain said as he retrieved multiple blankets from a cupboard and laid them down next to Roy before he took off the clothes that Kain had undone beforehand. The mans hands visibly froze and he looked up at Ed and then down at Mustang but he held his tongue as he worked the clothes off quickly. More injuries becoming visible as the layers of clothes were removed and the worry on Kain's face amplified.

"Get the MedKit too!" He called to Drake as the man already emerged with both objects in hand,

"Already got it" He said as he set the bucket down next to Ed and brought the MedKit to his Husband, the two whispered to each other before Drake reached into the water and rinsed the towel he had taken out, using it to carefully clean Mustangs wounds as Kain moved towards him.

"You were tortured?" He asked his eyes darkening as he looked at Edwards pale form,

"You could say that!" Ed laughed before he clasped his hand over his mouth hunching over. Kain already had the bucket near him as he kneeled next to Ed.

Blood. That was the only thing that left Ed's mouth and pooled into the bucket, as the blood flowed out of his mouth, he felt the dizziness return and the numbness to subside. A gentle hand held back his long messy hair for the minute that it took for his body to expel the blood.

He couldn't register his surroundings anymore as everything started to blur more and more, the gentle hand that held his hair moved which caused his tired eyes to focus on Kain's fearful expression. When he felt a hand on his coat he flinched violently and moved his hand up to defend himself only to hear a soothing voice hush and calm him.

Kain slowly and carefully removed the large coat that draped over Ed's starved figure and a pained look became etched into his features. The first thing he noticed were long deep slashes across the Kid's chest that seemed to have scabbed over. One that went from his shoulder to his abdomen seemed a lot more deliberate than the other ones. Burn marks littered his chest but Kain's eyes were then quickly drawn by the large black blotch Ed had around his stomach which was not from an external wound but instead an internal rupture, or so he thought. Part of his chest was caved in where the older man could tell his ribs had been fractured or more exactly crumpled to pieces and punctured a lung. His remaining human shoulder had been partially damaged if the deep purple bruise indicated any less. Gashes went down his sides underneath where his arms connected to his chest and he noticed the torn apart automail above all else. Kain instinctively reached for it and when he did hit one of the nerve endings on his automail earning a pained hiss from the younger one. Kain knew little about Automail but being a doctor that worked with people who had them he knew a little about how much it hurt if it was damaged.


	2. Just leave me trapped in the maze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well I'm sorry for the late update but it's better than no update at all

Kain's dark eyes focused on the boy, he seemed so small-dwarfed by the black jacket he was wearing the damaged automail making him appear as a lot less of everything. He looked like less of a child and more of a soldier. He looked a lot less put together than he had first appeared. The cuts on the side of his arm that were definitely self inflicted made him seem so much more broken than he needed to be. He looked like a terrified little boy who had been hurt so much. Worst of all he didn't trust them it was easy to tell with that dark look in his eyes.

"We need to remove your automail" Kain said calmly but the boy gave no visible response, "I'll need your help" He continued voice wavering against his will as he watched the boy look into the bucket filled with the dark crimson liquid

"I...it's o...kay" he forced out of his throat as he heaved for air the effects of the damage finally taking over his conscious mind.

"Tell me how to do it" Kain forced harshly through his teeth not taking no as an answer. The usually friendly man could feel the anger bubbling within his chest and threaten to spill. The kid before him couldn't be older than 16 and not only was he in the military but he had been tortured along with his superior and was the one to come out with the worst of it.

"Back...shoulder" Ed said a little out of it but Kain understood and moved behind his shoulder,

"Where?" Kain asked trying to distinguish anything in the automail but the way it was built was too intricate for him, and he needed to remove it before he could work on anything else, the strain it would put him under if he needed major interventions would be too much. Ed lifted his left arm and brought it to the small area behind to where the lever was situated. The man quickly found a wrench to undo the cover as Ed was fading in and out of consciousness.

Kain swiftly opened it and looked at the lever which was meant to undo the remainder of the arm. He knew what to do from there but when he looked at the position of all the damaged wires and how even the lever was off slightly he knew that the arm had been severely damaged. It was then that he realised just how much this was going to hurt the boy and his eyes creased in concern.

He needed to make sure that the Kid was ready for it or the he might pass out from the shock which would end badly. He looked over the kids shoulder upper teeth biting his low lips in anticipation as he caught the dulled out strange golden eyes. The weary and weak smile along with a dizzying nod gave him all the initiative he needed and so as his one arm grabbed the remains of the automail the other prepared to dislodge it.

The moment he turned the leaver a quiet scream made up of only exhaled air passed the boys lips, when he tried to pull it away there was a wire and needle stuck through the automail and in the kids shoulder and he had to immediately put it back but he did so wrong. The nerves stayed open and not completely connected sending constant shocks of pain up the arm and to the kids Brian. The pained expression didn't leave the boys face as his hand shot up to hold the port and the skin he made a small high pitched wail noise that Kain barely heard.

"There's something connecting your automail to your port I'll need to remove it" He said quickly going to grab a utensil box as Drake worked to disinfect and suture the other man's wounds.

"Dad is Papa home?" they all heard a small voice ask before a door creaking sounded throughout the room. They all froze before Drake moved in front of the opening door covering his daughter's view of the injured boy and the unconscious man in the living room.

"Hey Pumpkin, you can't come in here for a while ok?" The small girl looked up at his sparkling blue eyes that seemed so soft and she tilted her head to the side,

"Why?" She asked her voice seemed a little sleepy as her big brown eyes looked up at her father.

"Well..." He started but the girl looked down at his arms,

"Is Papa hurt again?" She asked and the man hurried to shake his head,

"No-no its not that!" He went to hide his hands behind his back, "We're just busy with the guests I'll tell you later!" he said and the girl wearily nodded her head before turning and slowly going back to her room.

A sigh escaped his lips as he closed the door with a soft click and turned around to see golden eyes staring at him as his husband was starting to prob around the automail that he had no understanding over.

"Well this isn't going to end well" He sighed to himself as he was about to avert his eyes only to see the boy mouth something, 'get them out of here' he looked confused before turning to look at the man on the couch and then at the door behind him.

"Are you being hunted?" He asked quickly and Ed nodded his head blood quickly slipped past his lips and he brought the bucket before him again as more of the deep crimson liquid flowed down into it.

"R..un... ta..ke ..the..m.... r...run" he spoke slowly not able to form proper sentences the pain muddling his brain.

"Drake" He heard his husband say and his blue eyes snapped down to the deep brown ones, "Prepare a bag just in case and I'll take care of them but we're not leaving them like this, even if they're being hunted!"

The larger man was stern when he spoke and readied himself to pull out a large piece of metal that had gotten lodged in the boy's automail arm and had impaled the metal to his shoulder. Kain knew what his husband thought, he knew that he would take the girls and leave the alchemists behind. He knew that the other didn't care for the military and actually hated it for what it had done in Ishval but that didn't mean he wasn't going to help them he was simply ready to leave them behind and save the girls nothing else mattered.

The moment Kain pulled the piece of metal out blood started gushing from the wound and covered the automail in the slippery liquid. He grabbed the lever quickly and dislodged the arm in one quick motion before applying pressure to the small hole in the port to stop the bleeding.

Ed grit his teeth and Kain heard a pained noise escape the boy's lips but he kept putting pressure on the wound unable to close it due to its location. He was about to focus on something else when Ed tried to pull up his soaking pant leg which brought Kain's attention to it long enough for him to see the second Automail that adorned the Child's body.

His eyebrows pulled together and pain was etched onto his face as he looked at the second appendage that needed removal. He took a pair of scissors from the MedKit and cut off the pants to reveal a slightly damaged second automail and a seemingly damaged port from the continuous strain in the cold.

"he...re" The heard the kid say tapping his pale slightly blueish finger against the metal cover of the second lever. Ed knew it needed removal or he would get frostbite or worse, his tissue would start to necrose. Kain shut his eyes tightly before undoing the cover and moving in a way that he could pull the appendage off. Once his fingers had a firm hold on the cold material he pulled the leaver and removed the leg with a distinct pop.

He watched as the kid opened his mouth to scream but the noise was covered by a loud howl. Ed looked around eyes scanning the surrounding and locking onto the man before him the one holding his leg.

"Run" He said firmly, the waver and slur not diminishing its power at all. Ed grabbed a knife from the kit and started etching an alchemical symbol onto the wall next to him before placing his hand to it and the door seemed shut fusing to the rest of the wall.

"Ta...ke....stang... run" Ed said determination burning in his dull pain filled eyes as he stared with determination at Kain.

"No, if you're being hunted then we can't let them take you back, especially not in your condition!" He said firmly and Ed shook his head,

"Y...ou... kids..." He smiled before squeezing the mans shoulder, "For.... them.." He forced out of his lips and Kain grit his teeth.

"You're just a kid though!" He argued but Ed shook his head, he didn't want to die but he wouldn't have any innocent person's blood on his hands and in his current situation he was useless and would only drag them down. He would not only get Mustang but also the two little girls and the happy family killed.

"Find... military... Hawkeye... Lieutena.." He couldn't finish speaking being broken off by a bloody cough that ended up on the other mans clothes. Ed grabbed the pocket watch he had managed to find while escaping and pushed it into the mans hand.

"Please!" He said hearing another howl closer to them. Too close for comfort and Drake came rushing into the room worry written all over his face at the sound of the distorted wolf-bear like howl.

"We need to go!" He said a bag slung over his shoulder and the two little girls at his legs.

"We're taking him with us!" Kain said looking back at the kid grinding his teeth as he picked up the Colonel and carried him on his back.

"But he'll ju.." Drake shut up when he saw his husbands dark glare the man looked at the kid sympathetically as he watched him draw something.

"Ju...st... sa..ve..him" He said determination in his eyes as Kain looked at him one last time before turning and getting out the back door. Running deep into the woods with his family and the man Ed had told himself he would save no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, yes 
> 
> hate me
> 
> I want him to suffer more.  
> Ed won't come out of this unscathed
> 
> \+ teaser
> 
> "Ed, Why? Why did you leave me? How could you? You left me to die in the snow!" 
> 
> Mustangs voice echoed in his head as more tears spilled from his eyes.
> 
> "Why Fullmetal? Why couldn't you take care of your own mess? Why did you drag me into this?" The distorted features of mustangs cut up body lying in a pool of his own blood asked his dark eyes no longer filled with life, no drive in them. 'Bastard!' Ed tried to call out he tried and tried to call the man before him, 'Mustang!' but his voice never made its way past his lips.
> 
> "How could you leave me behind?" Images of Mustangs cold form being hidden in under snow filled his mind,
> 
> "How could you leave me to die!" the voice shouted into his mind, 'NO!' Ed called back, 'I tried to save you! I did that to save you' He tried to say but the sound never came,
> 
> hope you stick around 😈


End file.
